Schumer and Gillibrand Endorsing Thompson

Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand will endorse fellow Bill Thompson for mayor at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Union Square, according to sources familiar with the arrangements.

The endorsements are scheduled one day after a “unity rally” on the City Hall steps, where Thompson was endorsed by a number of Democrats, including the Democratic candidates for city comptroller and public advocate, John Liu and Bill de Blasio. Some Democrats were notably absent from the rally, including City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

Democrats on the state and federal level have been criticized by some Thompson supporters for not playing a more active role in this year’s mayor’s race.

Thompson’s opponent, Michael Bloomberg, has enjoyed lots of Democratic support, and employs a number of former Schumer staffers including Howard Wolfson and Bradley Tusk on the campaign and Stu Loeser in City Hall. Iris Weinshall, Schumer’s wife, was his first transportation commissioner. She left in 2007.

Since unenrolling from the Republican Party in 2007 in a public gesture toward an independent presidential run, Bloomberg has sought to highlight his support from Democrats. This weekend, he announced he was endorsed by “two prominent, longtime Democrats,” Peter Vallone Sr., the former Speaker of the City Council, and his son, Peter Vallone Jr., a Councilman in Astoria.

Schumer and Gillibrand are up for election next year, but only Gillibrand, who was appointed to the seat by the governor earlier this year, is expected to have any real competition.